Because of our flailing economy, everything is serious. We’re all serious, all the time. Or at least that's how it feels...
I’ve decided to briefly escape this situation by intentionally delving into nonsense. Fight fire with fire, right? J
Nonsense is defined by several sources as “words or language having no meaning.” Nonsense is the writer’s nightmare. Or, is it?
I’m rereading Dr. Seuss’s collection and I’m finding that nonsense delights me. “One fish Two fish Red fish Blue fish!” Check out these synonyms for nonsense from Thesaurus.com:
absurdity, babble, balderdash, baloney, bananas, bombast, bull*, bunk, claptrap, drivel, fatuity, flightiness, folly, foolishness, fun, gibberish, giddiness, hogwash, hooey, hot air, imprudence, inanity, irrationality, jazz, jest, jive, joke, ludicrousness, madness, mumbo jumbo, palaver, poppycock, prattle, pretense, ranting, rashness, rot, rubbish, scrawl, scribble, senselessness, silliness, soft soap, stupidity, thoughtlessness, trash*, tripe
Doesn’t that list just make your heart sing? Who knew that nonsense could be such fun!
In the words of Dr. Seuss:
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
I have to say that as a novelist I agree wholeheartedly with Seuss’s statement. Writing fiction is, on some levels, recreating things as you wish them to be—if only for the moment, on paper.
And while my novel is currently being edited, I am escaping all thoughts of the red pen by romping in total nonsense. It is a child-like behavior, in the best sense of that phrase. As children we find pure joy in the nonsensical; the more nonsensical, the better.
And while nonsense does not put food on the table (unless you’re Dr. Seuss), solve relationship issues, or train your dog, it sure puts you in a better frame of mind to tackle these things.
Give it a try and see if I’m right. Feel free to leave a comment about your experiences.
Until next time, I’m out looking for Green Eggs and Ham!
Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com
It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how!
ReplyDeleteWho knew poppycock meant nonsense?! I like poppycock, that is the food :)
ReplyDelete"One day you will read
ReplyDeletein the National Geographic
of a faraway land
with no smelly bad traffic."
Make no sense? That's what I'm aiming for :)